5 of the Scariest Steroid Death Statistics

Anabolic steroid use is not only highly illegal but also incredibly dangerous. Some users have even experienced life-threatening symptoms, and even death,

Top Ten Steroid Death Statistics

  1. Of those steroid users in the US, 99% have reported experiencing some sort of severe side effect.
  2. According to the 2021 steroid statistics, steroids helped to lower the death rates in COVID-19 patients by 20%
  3. National Football League players pay close to $ 4 million in fines for using performance-enhancing drugs.
  4. Most people who use steroids do their own research and purchase and administer anabolic steroids based on publicly available statistics.
  5. Female steroid abuse is rising rapidly, particularly among teenagers. 
  6. The use of anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs are banned in every sport globally.
  7. Most athletes see performance gains within 10 weeks of starting anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.
  8. According to the annual steroids stats, anabolic steroids users die at a rate three times quicker than their non-steroid-using counterparts
  9. A whopping 50% of pro athletes have experimented with some form of anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs.
  10. According to annual steroid statistics, 25% of athletes using AAS, form, and addiction

Death and Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Statistics

The adverse and harmful effects of taking androgenic anabolic steroids have long been known, but it’s only recently that accurate and qualified research has been made available to the general population. So just how dangerous are performance-enhancing drugs? For instance, according to thre Journal of Internal Medicine, 1.3% of steroid users sadly passed away.

On the flip side, though, one study showed that patients who were administered steroids were 20% less likely to die than the control group.

1. According to the available stats, steroid users are 3X times more likely to die early

Although the research is clear and shows that regular daily exercise, including resistance and aerobic training, can reduce the chance of premature death by 30%. However, this research and finding are far from relevant for people abusing androgenic anabolic steroids.

According to the latest steroid death statistics research, by the Journal of Internal Medicine, 1.3% of males who used anabolic androgenic steroids died. That might not seem like much, but when compared to those who didn’t take any steroids, the mortality rate was only 0.3%. Additionally, the research suggested that androgenic anabolic steroid users were twice as likely for hospital admissions due to other related health conditions stemming from steroid abuse. (1)

2. Steroids were shown to reduce death rates for those with COVID-19 by as much as 20%

Recent research suggests that steroids were pivotal in lowering the death rates of patients with COVID-19. Those patients treated specifically with Corticosteroids, e.g., hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone, showed a 68% survival rate as opposed to the control, with a 60% survival rate. (2)

3. Androgenic anabolic steroids are harmful in the long-run

According to the Journal of Substance Use, the biggest reason for anabolic androgenic steroid use is to improve physical performance and aesthetics. Moreover, a whopping 50% of women found that men who did not abuse steroids were more suitable, particularly when it came to a long-term relationship.

On the other hand, there is very little evidence to show any relevance to short-term relationship suitability with either female or male relationships. (3)

4. 25% of Androgenic anabolic steroids user are addicted to AAS

While the vast majority of the general public believes that only pro athletes used performance-enhancing drugs, nothing could be further from the truth. In recent years, there has been a sharp incline in steroid users and steroid abuse among teens and amateur athletes. It’s reported that close to 4 million Americans tried some type of anabolic androgenic steroids or performance enhancing, drugs with nearly 1 million of those users developing an addiction. (4)

5. In the US, 99% of anabolic androgenic steroid users report some type of side effect

One of the most misunderstood aspects of anabolic androgenic steroids is the negative side effects. Most people have the mindset, “it won’t happen to me, I’ll be fine.” However, they quickly find out, that it doesn’t take long until they’re hit with one of the very same side effects.

Statistics surrounding performance-enhancing drugs suggest that 18% of users end up with prostate complications. If that’s not bad enough, 12% develop chronic skin problems like acne, 9% have gingivitis, 6% have fibromyalgia, and 3% with prostate cancer.

Furthermore, it’s not just the devastating physical side effects steroid users have to deal with. Those who continue to use steroids also suffer from cognitive conditions such s poor memory, mood swings, and depression. (5) (6)

Stats on steroids show they have severe side effects and can cause long-term health conditions.

The most popular steroids among athletes are listed below, with their uses and side effects. Some of the steroids, such as Dianabol, help athletes with muscle growth, while others, like Anadrol, help people drop weight relatively quickly. Regardless, users must be aware of the harmful side effects that are associated with taking steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Dianabol

Because anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs are illegal, it’s tricky to find reliable and, more importantly, verifiable statistics regarding their use and death.

Dianabol, for example, has long been revered as the most effective steroid for muscle growth, as it boosts testosterone levels. Despite users knowing the severe side effects, like liver damage and hair loss, Dianbol remained and still remains popular among athletes.

Anadrol

Anadrol is cheap and effective and provides users with relatively fast results. That being said, because Anadrol works by using the water principle retention, 50% of its users put their initial weight back on after stopping it.

Anavar

Anavar is a steroid that female users and athletes generally use because it seems to be more tolerant for them. According to the available stats, Anavar has few side effects, especially compared to other anabolic steroids, like acne, depression, and hair loss.

Clenbuterol

Although classified as a stimulant, Clenbuterol has many similarities to steroids, such as preserving muscle mass. Clenbuterol has been linked to heart failure, migraines, and nausea and should be avoided at all costs.

Deca-Durabolin

One of the most popular steroids since the 1970s is Deca-Durabolin which is mainly used to build muscle mass. Deca-Durabolin has several side effects, like depression, cancer, stroke, liver, and erectile dysfunction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can steroids cause sudden death?

According to a report titled “Sudden cardiac death in anabolic androgenic steroids abuse: case report and literature review,” anabolic androgenic steroids may cause several negative effects on the human body, particularly the heart, which may result in cardiac sudden death. (8)

How much do steroids affect life expectancy?

Life expectancy for females using steroids was 10.3 years shorter and 11.7 years shorter for males. This means the average steroid-using female lives to 75.3, while men live to 76.7. (9)

What is the mortality rate of anabolic androgenic steroids abuse?

The mortality rate is 1.3% as opposed to the general population data rate of 0.4%. (10)

Comments and questions?

Join our closed Facebook group and get custom answers from the community.

Drop us a comment down below and one of our expert coaches will respond to it.

Frati, P., Busardรฒ, F. P., Cipolloni, L., Dominicis, E. D., & Fineschi, V. (2015). Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) related deaths: autoptic, histopathological and toxicological findings. Current neuropharmacology, 13(1), 146โ€“159. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X13666141210225414

The WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group. Association Between Administration of Systemic Corticosteroids and Mortality Among Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2020;324(13):1330โ€“1341. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.17023 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2770279

Frati, P., Busardรฒ, F. P., Cipolloni, L., Dominicis, E. D., & Fineschi, V. (2015). Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) related deaths: autoptic, histopathological and toxicological findings. Current neuropharmacology, 13(1), 146โ€“159. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X13666141210225414

Frati, P., Busardรฒ, F. P., Cipolloni, L., Dominicis, E. D., & Fineschi, V. (2015). Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) related deaths: autoptic, histopathological and toxicological findings. Current neuropharmacology, 13(1), 146โ€“159. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X13666141210225414

Ganesan K, Rahman S, Zito PM. Anabolic Steroids. [Updated 2022 Aug 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482418/

AlShareef S, Gokarakonda SB, Marwaha R. Anabolic Steroid Use Disorder. [Updated 2022 Jun 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538174/

NIDA. 2023, February 9.

Hernรกndez-Guerra, A. I., Tapia, J., Menรฉndez-Quintanal, L. M., & Lucena, J. S. (2019). Sudden cardiac death in anabolic androgenic steroids abuse: case report and literature review. Forensic sciences research, 4(3), 267โ€“273. https://doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2019.1595350

Kuenzig, M.E., Manuel, D.G., Donelle, J. et al. Real world evidence of the association between medication and life expectancy in elderly inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based cohort study. BMC Gastroenterol 22, 5 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-021-02083-y

Contributors

Brenton Barker

Brenton Barker | Writer

Brenton is a highly qualified sports coach with over 20 years of experience working with professional athletes. With a degree in sports coaching and experience in prominent positions, including Head Advisor to the Japanese Government Sports Institute and Manager & Head Coach to Australia's Governing Sporting Body. Currently, he consults with several professional athletes and sporting organizations, sharing his expertise to help them reach their full potential.

Read all articles
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Anti-Aging, Peptide, and Health Science Delivered to Your Inbox

Join 15,000+ readers keeping informed and staying up to date on all of the latest Peptide, TRT, and SARMs news, in only 5 minutes per week.

Don't like emails?

Join our Facebook group and get the same updates!